Cigarette package holder



Feb. 18, 1936. q. HOLTZMAN 2,030,990

CIGARETTE PACKAGE HOLDER Filed Sept. 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 18, 1936.

J. HOLTZMAN 2,030,990

C IGARETTE PACKAGE HOLDER Filed Sept. 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ea 62 a 63 v i 26 i 25 58 5 J3 I VENTOR %Z 04% Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 18 Claims.

This invention relates to cigarette package holders and is particularly applicable for use in connection with a paper cigarette package for maintaining the package in its extended position,

and preventing crushing thereof before or after cigarettes have been removed therefrom.

My invention contemplates the provision of simple and efficient means normally closing the otherwise open top of a cigarette package, and. designed to be removed from the top for exposing the cigarettes of the package for easy access thereto and withdrawal thereof from the package. My invention further contemplates the provision of means for urging the cigarettes of the package toward the discharge opening of my improved holder, whereby the cigarettes are accessible to the user at all times and without manipulation irrespective of the number of cigarettes remaining in the package.

20 The various objects of my invention will be clear from the description which follows and. from the drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of my improved package holder and stretcher.

25 Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of another form of my improved holder.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the same, showing 30 the means for operating the cover.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of another form of my improved holder wherein the top is slidably mounted.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In that practical embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated by way of example, a suitable frame is provided with a discharge opening, and a cover for the opening, and includes 40 depending legs which may be inserted in between the outer wrapper and the inner wrapper of a cigarette package of the usual type. The frame may, if-desired, be inserted into the interior of the entire package, that is, inside of both of the 45 paper wrappers and in contact with the cigarettes.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 particularly, the frame II) is preferably made of a single piece of sheet metal, the front I I and back I2 being each cut away as at I3 to provide legs or projections 50 I4, adapted to enter the package. Said front II and back I2 are each preferably of substantially the height of the package or slightly less than said'height, and of substantially the width of the package. 55 back members is a flexible side wall I5 integral Projecting from one of the front or.

therewith at one end thereof as at I6, and of slightly less width than the distance between the front II and back I2, and preferably, of less height than the height of the package. Said wall I5 has the function of a collapsible spring and is designed not only to stretch or extend the package, but also to forward the cigarettes therein to discharge position.

The front I I and the back I2 are joined together at their upper ends by the short cover plate I! which is preferably integral with saidends, and partly covers the top of the package into which the holder may be inserted. Hinged to the upper surface of the cover plate H as by means of the spring hinge I8, is the movable cover I9 extending over the top of the package and part way over the cover plate. The end of said cover closes the opening 21 of the frame, and the edges 2I thereof rest on the top edges 22 of the front and back, being suitably shaped for 0 that purpose, whereby the cover forms a seal for the top of the package and effectively closes the same. A suitable spring latch as 23 may extend from one of the sides of the cover and engage a suitable projection 24 pressed out from the back I2 for maintaining said cover 20 in place against the action of the spring hinge I8.

For inserting my improved device into a ciga rette package, the flexible side wall I5 is first collapsed into its vertical position whereupon the legs I4 of the front I I and back I2 may be inserted into the front and back spaces between the inner and outer covers 25 and 26 of the package. At the same time, the lower end of the side wall I5 is also inserted into the package at the side wall thereof, the pressure of the cigarettes therein tending to maintain said wall I5. in its vertical position. It will be understood that the entire device may be inserted into the package between the cigarettes and the inner 40 paper cover 25, if desired.

As the latch 23 is manually released from its projection 24, the cover 20 flies open under the influence of the spring hinge I8, and exposes the top of the package. Said package may first be opened by removing a portion or all of the top. end thereof, as desired, to expose the cigarettes through the opening 21 when the cover 20 is open.

As the cigarettes are removed. through the opening 21, the remaining cigarettes of the packwhich they may be extracted. It will be seen as] that the front II and back |2 stretch and brace the package and maintain its against collapse, and that the stationary cover I! aids in attaining that effect.

In that embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, I provide an auxiliary rim as 3|! arranged about the upper ends of the front H and the back l2 and projecting thereabove as at 33, said rim having side portions 3| and 32 extending between and serving to connect said front and back. A manually operable member 34 having a preferably fiat top is hinged to the upper rim portion 33 as at 35 and is normally arranged preferably parallel to and in spaced relation to the stationary'cover member. I! for depression toward the stationary member.

A suitable pin as 36 is secured to theunder side of said member 34 and enters a compression spring 31 which tends to raise said member about the hinge 35. The horizontally arranged pin 38 is also secured to the member 34 and is inserted into the groove 39 formed by the angle member .40 which is secured to the swingable cover member 4|. Said cover member 4| is pivoted on the shaft extending between the depending sides 46 of said member.

To open my improved holder so as to expose the opening 21 and to allow access to the cigarettes in the package, said package is grasped in the hand preferably with the thumb resting on ,the top of the member 34 and with one of the fingers of the hand engaging the lower end of the package as at 50 directly below the opening one or more of the cigarettes up through the opening 21 and partly out of thepackage so that the cigarette may be easily extracted, e I

On the release of the member 34, the spring 36 raises said member from its depressed position and thereby automatically moves the cover 4| into position'to close the opening 21. The spring member I5 is formed similarly to that shown and described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 and functions similarly to automatically maintain the cigarettes of the package at the opening 2? depression of the member 34.

and hence need not be further described. No latch is necessary for the cover 4| since the spring 36' serves tomaintain said cover in its normalposition until manually moved therefrom by the In the modified form of my device shown in Figs. .5 and 6, the front and back walls of the frame are omitted and a pair of side walls or legs as 5| and 52 are provided, said walls being joined by a suitable top wall as 53 integral therewith and. provided with a suitable opening as 54 for the discharge of the cigarettes in the package. The wall may be slightly upraised or upwardly dished to provide depressed edge portions as shown in Fig. 6. This form of my frame may also age cover 25 and the outer package cover 26 as well shown in Fig. 5, the other side wall 5| being shown inserted interiorly of the inner wall 25 though, as will be understood, it may be inserted between the walls 25 and 26 in the same manner as is the Wall 52. The spring member is automatically collapsed into its vertical position as the walls or legs 5| and 52 are inserted into the package.

Suitably secured to the top 53 asby means of the rivets 85 is the spring holding member 86 which is provided with an upstanding portion as 81, to which one end as 58 of the tension spring 59 is secured. The other end of said springs as 6|] is secured to the projection 6| of the sliding cover 62. Said cover is provided with a dished top 63, depending sides as 64 and depending ends as 65 and 6G, and is normally maintained by the spring 59 in the position indicated in Fig. 5, whereby the opening 21 made in the package for exposing the tops of the cigarettes therein is covered by the cover 62. The depending sides 64 may terminate in horizontal edge portions inserted into the space between the edges of the member 86 and the depressed edges of the .top 53 for guiding the cover in its reciprocatory movement. To expose said opening 21, the cover '62 is drawn to the right, as viewed in Fig. 5 against the action of the spring 53, thereby providing access to the tops of the cigarettes in the package. It will be seen that the spring member 58 by .reason of its tendency to move outwardly, tensions and. tends to stretch the package in cooperation with the wall 5|, and thereby prevents collapse and distortion thereof, and that the tops of the cigarettes are normally fully protected While they may be readily exposed for easy withdrawal.

While I have shown and described various embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific structure shown and described but intend to claim my invention as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a cigarette package holder, spaced depending members adapted to be inserted into a cigarette package, said holder being provided with an opening at the upper end thereof, movable spring-pressed means for normally closing said opening, and a collapsible spring member on and integral at one end with said holder for exerting pressure on the cigarettes in said package to urge the cigarettes towards said opening.

2. In a cigarette package holder, a sheet metal frame including a front having a central opening therein extending to the bottom thereof and p-ro-. viding a pair of spaced legs adapted to be in-. serted into a cigarette package, a back similar to the front substantially parallel thereto and spaced therefrom, a top integral withand joining said front and back and of less lengthv than the width of said front for providing an opening in the top of and at onesideof the frame, acollapsible spring member integral with the frontat the lower end thereof and movable relatively thereto at the remainder thereof, and of less height than the frame, for urging the cigarettes towards said opening, anda spring-pressed cover member removably covering the opening.

3. In a cigarette package holder, sheet metal means having an opening therein for the with-. drawal of cigarettes therethrough and. adapted to be inserted into a cigarette package. for bracing the'package, and a movable spring member integral with said means and biased to urge the cigarettes toward the opening.

4. In a cigarette package holder for a package having parallel front and back walls and narrower side Walls, a frame formed of a single piece of sheet metal and including a pair of transversely spaced legs and a similar pair of legs spaced laterally from the first-mentioned legs, said first-mentioned legs being adapted to be inserted into the cigarette package at the front and back walls thereof respectively with the cigarettes laterally therebetween, said legs being free and independent of each other except at their upper ends, and a top integral with and joining said legs and of sufficient length to close not less than a third of the top of the frame and thereby providing an opening in said top, a cover member for the opening removably covering the opening, a spring hinge securing the cover member to the top and urging said member into open position, and means including a latch member integral with and projecting from the cover member and engageable with a member projecting from the frame, for normally maintaining said cover member in closed position.

5. In a cigarette package holder, a frame having an opening in the top thereof for the withdrawal of cigarettes therethrough and adapted to be inserted into a cigarette package with.the top thereof exposed for bracing the package, a spring member integral with said frame and below the top and biased to urge the cigarettes in said package toward the opening, a depressible member hinged to the top of said frame and exposed for manual operation, a cover member for the opening arranged substantially in alignment with the depressible member and means for operatively connecting said cover member to the depressible member for removing said cover member from the opening on the manual depression-of said depressible member to provide access to the cigarettes urged by the spring toward the opening.

6. In a cigarette package holder, a frame adapted to be inserted into a cigarette package for bracing said package, a manually operable member hinged to the top of said frame and having a flat top surface, a spring for urging said member away from said frame, a cover member for part of said frame adjacent said manually operable member and having a flat top surface normally lying in the same plane as the top surface of the manually operable member to form a flat top on the holder, and means for operatively connecting the manually operable member to the cover member for moving said cover member from the frame on the operation of the manually operable member, including a cooperating element on each of said members.

7. In a cigarette package holder, the ,combination with a frame having an opening therein and adapted to be inserted into the package for bracing the package, of a cover member having a flat top, means on said frame for pivotally supporting said member, a movable springpressed finger member hinged to the frame and having a flat top in normal coplanar relation to the top of the cover member to form a flat top surface on the holder, and means for operatively connecting the cover member to the finger member for removing said cover member from the opening on the manual operation of the finger member.

8. In a cigarette package holder, a frame including a pair of spaced depending legs adapted to be inserted into a cigarette package and having a top provided with an opening therein for joining said legs, and a spring integral at one end with and extending from one of said legs and adapted to exert transverse pressure on the package.

9. In a cigarette package holder, a frame having a pair of spaced depending legs adapted to be inserted into a cigarette package and having a top provided with an opening therein for joining said legs, a spring integral at oneend with and extending from one of said legs and adapted to exert outward pressure on one of the walls of the package a cover member normally covering said opening, and a coil spring operatively connected to the cover member for automatically moving the cover member in a given direction after it has been moved in the other direction against the action of the spring.

10. In a cigarette package holder, a sheet metal frame having a pair of depending legs adapted to be inserted into a cigarette package for bracing the package, and a spring member integral at one end thereof with one of the legs and 00- operating with the other of said legs to exert outward pressure on one of the walls of the "package.

11. In a cigarette package holder, the combination with a frame having a pair of opposed legs having a width substantially equal to the thickness from front to back of the frame, and adapted to be inserted into a cigarette package, and a top joining said legs, of a slidable cover formed of a single piece of sheet material dished to form a. fiat top section, a pair of opposed depending sides extending below said section and a pair of opposed depending ends extending below said section, said sides being arranged to engage the top of said frame and maintained by said top against detachment from said frame, said sides and the edge portions of said top cooperating to guide the cover during its reciprocatory move ment.

12. In a cigarette package holder, the combination with a frame of a single piece of material comprising opposed legs equal in width to the narrower width of the frame and adapted to be inserted into a cigarette package, a top integral with and joining said legs, and a slidable cover of a single piece of sheet material dished upwardly to provide an opposed pair of depending sides extending below the central portion of the cover and terminating at the lower ends thereof in horizontal portions engaging the top portion of the frame and further providing a pair of depending ends extending below the central portion of the cover, said sides by engaging thetop portion of the frame, guiding the cover in its slidable movement relatively to the frame to expose the top of the package into which the holder is inserted.

13. A cigarette package holder, comprising an integrally stamped out sheet metal frame, the proper size and shape to embrace and frictionally hold a paper cigarette package of conventional form, said frame having a front and a back wall and an end Wall, a fiat member connected to one of said walls and presenting a section of a vertical side wall to said package, said front and back walls having cut-out portions of substantial area in the central zone thereof, a spring actuated dished cover hinged to the top of said frame and arranged to cover approximately the entire length of the end of said package, a latch extending from said cover and being integral therewith for latching said cover to the frame, said cover calawall for said package, said side walls being cutiawayzto provide openings of substantial area comparediwith the area of'the remainder of the walls, aspring actuated dished cover pivotally connected to atheupper end of said .frame and adapted to cover-the exposed ends of the cigarettes insaid package and extending approximately the full length of the top; end of said frame, an integral projection extending from said cover andzforming a latch for latching said cover to said holder against the tension of the spring, said-coveradapted to-be released by manual pressure applied to the side wall engaged by said latch-for exposing the cigarettes for removal from saidipackage.

15; A cigarette package holder comprising a sheet metal. structure includingan end wall and twojpa'irs of substantially similarly shaped legs integrally connected with each other and with :said end wall, afiat member connected to one of said: legs and presenting a vertical side wall portion for-said structure, .said structure having the proper size and shape to embrace and frictionally 'hold a conventional paper cigarette package, a spring actuated dished cover pivot- :ally mounted on-the top of-said structure and arranged normally to cover approximately the entiretop ofsaid package, a projection integrally connected-tosaid cover forlatching the same tossaidrstructure and adapted to be yieldingly interlocked with the same by the reactionpressure exerted by :said structure upon the latch, and said cover adapted to bethrown into open position to expose thepackageby applying manual pressure to said structure in a direction'opposite zitosaid-ireaction pressure.

16. A cigarettepackage holder comprising a frame ofaisingle piece of sheet metal inthe shape of a'rectangular prism and adapted to be held frictionally in engagement with a paper cigarette package, .said frame having a transversely extendingnfront and atransversely extendingback wall spaced apart laterally and each having cut-out portions -of substantial area in the gcent-ralzone :thereof, a top plate integrally connecting saidwwalls at the upper ends thereof, said plate serving as a top cover for the-frame and being .equal -in ;1ength to-a minor fraction of the'width :of the frame to provide an opening in the remainder of the top of the frame, a spring actuated dished cover hinged to said plate to swing on a horizontal axis and provided with depending sides and a depending end, and adapted to cover said opening, the depending sides of said cover being substantially flush with the side faces of the walls of said frame when said cover is inits closed position, a latch member on and integral withthe cover and adapted to engage the frame .for locking said cover to the frame, said cover being opened by said spring upon the release of said latch from its locking engagement with said-frameto expose the opening.

17. A cigarette package holder comprising a one-piece sheet metal frame adapted to be frictionally held to, a paper cigarette package, said frame having a front wall and a back wall spaced laterally from the front wall, each having cutout portions in the central zone thereof to form a pair of legs thereon, a comparatively, short top wall forming an integral part of said frame and partially covering the end of the package, a flexible element associated with said holder, saidelement being adapted to penetrate the paper package into contact with the cigarettes for maintaining the same in upright position in the package, a cover having depending sides hinged to the top plate of the holder and being in latching engagement .with said frame, the depending sides of said cover being flush with the face walls of the frame when said holder is in closed position, .a spring urging the cover to open position, and manually actuated means to release the cover-to be swung by said spring to expose the cigarettes.

18. A device adapted to hold a package of cigarettes comprising a frame provided with a front wall, a back-wall, and a top wall, said walls being integrally connected with each other, the front and back walls being spaced apart laterally and each having acut-out portionin the central zone thereof to form a pair of transversely spaced legs, said top wall partially covering one end of the package,.a dish-shaped cover plate hinged to said top wall and adapted to cover the major length of the end of the package, a movable plate associated with said device, said plate adapted to be inserted in the package and having frictional contact withithe cigarettes of the package, and means to latch said cover to said frame.

JOHN I-IOLTZMAN. 

